Elon Musk's social media platform X is facing renewed scrutiny after a Guardian investigation found its artificial intelligence tool, Grok, can still be used to generate sexualised imagery of women, despite the company's public pledge to halt the practice.
A Simple Workaround Defies Promised Restrictions
Earlier this week, X announced it had "implemented technological measures" to stop its Grok AI from editing images of real people into revealing clothing like bikinis. The move came after Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned such AI-generated content as "disgusting" and "shameful." The platform stated it had "zero tolerance" for nonconsensual nudity.
However, Guardian reporters discovered that a standalone web version of the tool, known as Grok Imagine, remained fully functional. By uploading photographs of fully clothed women, the AI could be prompted to dress them in bikinis. Alarmingly, the system often went further, producing short videos that simulated the women stripping in a sexually provocative manner.
This content could then be posted directly onto X's public platform without any apparent moderation, becoming viewable to any account holder within seconds. This presents a clear and straightforward workaround to the restrictions X claimed to have enforced.
Campaigners and Regulators Demand Action
The findings have sparked outrage among campaigners. Rebecca Hitchen, head of policy at the End Violence Against Women Coalition, stated the continued ease of access "clearly demonstrates that X isn't taking the issue of online violence against women and girls seriously enough." She called on the UK government and media regulator Ofcom to pressure platforms to stop the proliferation of image-based sexual abuse.
Penny East, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, was scathing in her criticism: "The truth is Musk and the tech sector simply do not prioritise safety or dignity in the products they create. It's a pretty low bar for women to expect that they can converse online without men undressing them."
While Technology Secretary Liz Kendall welcomed X's initial steps, she emphasised that she would "expect the facts to be fully and robustly established by Ofcom's ongoing investigation." Ofcom confirmed its formal probe into X, launched on Monday, is continuing as it works to "get answers into what went wrong and what's being done to fix it."
Global Repercussions and a Surge in Interest
The controversy has triggered international responses. Canada's privacy watchdog has opened an investigation into xAI, while authorities in the Philippines are moving to block Grok. Malaysian officials are also planning legal action.
Paradoxically, the scandal appears to have boosted public awareness of the AI tool. On Thursday, Elon Musk shared a post claiming Grok's "popularity and real world usage are skyrocketing globally," alongside a Google Trends graph showing searches for "Grok" at a new high.
A UK government spokesperson reiterated that the Online Safety Act already requires platforms to prevent illegal content, including nonconsensual intimate images. The government is also proposing a new 'nudification' offence to target tools specifically designed to create such material.
